It is natural for the recruiting process to get a little stale for highly sought, high-profile recruits such as Trayce Jackson-Davis at this stage of the game. There is not much more the Center Grove star can hear from the four schools that remain on his list that he has not heard already.

“I don’t know if I could do the whole ‘Rome’ thing,” Jackson-Davis said this week, referring to the length of New Albany star Romeo Langford’s recruitment before committing to Indiana in the spring. “I don’t know how he did that. That’s like seven more months. I don’t know if I could do that.”

The 6-9 Jackson-Davis, ranked the No. 15 prospect in the country on the 247sports national composite for the 2019 class, can see the finish line from here. Coaches from his four finalists – Indiana, Iowa, Michigan State and UCLA – have been in at open gyms and for in-home visits. He has taken official visits to UCLA and Iowa in the past three weeks and has officials scheduled to Indiana (weekend of Sept. 28-29) and Michigan State (Oct. 5-6).

And then? It could be time for a decision. Or it might be a little while longer. But not as long as it took for Langford’s decision (which, for reference, came on April 30).

“Before then, most definitely,” Jackson-Davis said. “But I don’t know if it will be like in November (the early-signing period is Nov. 14-21) or during the season, like in January. It could be anywhere between that timetable.”

If there is an advantage to waiting a bit longer, it would be that Jackson-Davis could see each of the teams he is considering play during the season.

“I know some of the guys (on the teams) are going to be gone by the time I get there,” he said. “I just want to see how the coaches do with their teams. With Indiana, they haven’t had a full roster yet of coach (Archie) Miller’s actual recruits. I want to see how he does. Michigan State just had Jaren (Jackson Jr.) and Miles (Bridges) go so I want to see how coach (Tom) Izzo does with a little bit of a different team. Iowa with Tyler Cook, that’s who they see me playing like, so I would like to see them a little bit. UCLA will be pretty good with guys like Moses Brown coming in and Kris Wilkes already there.”

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Center Grove big man Trayce Jackson-Davis was in Bloomington for a team camp and discussed his recent gold-medal winning performance with Team USA.
Zach Osterman, IndyStar

Jackson-Davis said he “tries to ignore” talk that centers on where he might commit. There has long been a thought that he is leaning toward IU.

“I’m not a ‘lean’ anywhere,” he said. “I’m just taking my time and trying to enjoy the process before I make a commitment. I’m still having fun with it.”

Indiana has made a splash with in-state recruits under Miller with Langford – a top-five national recruit – as the centerpiece to the 2018 class. The Hoosiers picked up a commitment from Cathedral guard Armaan Franklin earlier this month as the first piece to the 2019 recruiting class. Indiana is also in the mix for another in-state star in Fort Wayne native and LaLumiere senior Keion Brooks Jr., who is expected to unveil his six finalists in coming days.

Brooks Jr., who played in the same travel program with the Speice Indy Heat, has all four of Jackson-Davis’ finalists among the schools he is considering.

“We know we would like to play with each other in college, but if it happens it happens and if it doesn’t it doesn’t,” Jackson-Davis said. “When we talk, we don’t talk much about recruiting but I know I would love to play with him.”

Iowa coach Fran McCaffery was in to see Jackson-Davis on Tuesday, along with assistant Andrew Francis. UCLA coach Steve Alford attended Center Grove open gym on Monday and Miller is expected to pay a visit Thursday. Izzo attended open gym last week.

Center Grove's Trayce Jackson-Davis is one of the top recruits in the 2019 class.(Photo: Doug McSchooler/for IndyStar)

“I think it will just come down to how comfortable I am with everything,” Jackson-Davis said. “I want to get to the NBA and I want a school that is going to push me to get there.”

Jackson-Davis said the first two official visits were beneficial.

“Being in California was really cool,” he said. “I got to see the campus and hang out with Kris (Wilkes, the former North Central star and 2017 IndyStar Mr. Basketball). I know it’s farther away, but it’s a three-hour plane ride. The coaches made me feel comfortable there. The Iowa visit was good, too. The fans are crazy. Iowa doesn’t have a pro team so Iowa is the pro team. Coach McCaffery treats everybody like family.”

Though he has been around the programs at Indiana and Michigan State more than the others, he said he had not had much of a chance to get around campus at either school. The official visits will allow him to get a better feel for both schools. He cancelled a potential official visit to Wake Forest this weekend and is no longer considering the Demon Deacons.

Jackson-Davis, who averaged 22.3 points and 9.5 rebounds as a junior, will go into the season as a favorite for IndyStar Mr. Basketball. Center Grove is coming off back-to-back sectional titles, losing the past two years in regional to Langford and New Albany.

“I know that is definitely on the list for him,” Center Grove coach Zach Hahn said. “He’s a special player. We’re lucky that he stuck around in a time where guys think going somewhere else is better. I think he knows with our schedule, we are going to be challenged. We’re grateful he’s here and hopefully he has a strong year for us.”